Extension-bedstead.



H. B. ARNOLD. EXTENSION BEDSTEAD. APIPLIOA'II ON FILED JAN. 30, 1909.

[UH/755595. P

Patented Dec. 14,1909.

FIOE.

HARRY B. ARNOLD, OF

NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL SPRING BED COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

EXTENSION-BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909. Serial No. 475,163.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in extension bedsteads and the objects of my improvement are simplicity and economy in construction, with convenience and etficiency in operation, particularly with reference to ease and smoothness of operation in opening and closing the bed.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a broken out plan view of my bedstead in its extended form, a large part of the mattress supporting fabric being omitted. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, together with broken lines indicating the closed position of the extension bed section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the same.

My bedstead is of the class which comprises two bed sections in each of which two opposite edges of a fabric are attached to opposite fabric supporting bars between which the fabric is usually stretched. As shown, the fabric is composed'of a metallic net work 5 with springs 6, at the opposite edges. This is the ordinary form of the National wire fabric for receiving and supporting a mattress upon a couch or bed, and any ordinary mattress supporting means may be substituted for the particular fabric herein shown. The springs which consti tute two opposite edges of the mattress supporting means in both bed sections are connected in the main bed section A with the two fabric supporting bars 7, said bars being preferably formed of angle iron and perforated to receive the hooked ends 8 of the springs 6. The ends of these bars 7 are connected to corner irons 9, which extend downwardly in the form of legs. To the lower ends of the legs ordinary casters 11, having swiveling frames, are attached.

The two end frames each having a fabric supporting bar are connected together at the desired distance apart by means of bar supporting rails 12, and tie braces 13 and the fabric is stretched between these two end frames. I have shown only a portion of the fabric but in use it will extend substantially the length of the fabric supporting bars in both bed sections. The rails are set lower down on the corner irons or legs than the fabric supporting bars in order that the rails may not be in the way of the fabric. The two end frames, the rails and braces connecting the said frames and a fabric stretched between the said frames constitute the main bedstead or main bed section which is complete in itself. As shown it is substantially of an ordinary construction and of itself is not claimed as my invention. I prefer to attach the legs 9 to the front of the main bed section a little inside of the ends of the fabric supporting bars 7, as shown in Fig. 2.

The extension bed section B is composed of two similar end frames each comprising fabric supporting bars 7 and front legs 9, said two end frames being connected by abar supporting rail 12 and tie brace 18, extending longitudinally of the said extension bed section, and the mattress supporting means or fabric between the bars 7 a of the said two end frames. The fabric supporting bars of both bed sections are of angle iron, and I prefer to arrange these bars back to back with the flanges on the extension bed section extending upwardly so as to be out of the way of the main bed section.

In order to transfer the strain of the mattress supporting means from the inner/ends or rear ends of bars 7 of the extension bed section, I pivotally connect each of the said ends of the said bars to a lover or arm 10 by means of bolts 19, which lever is pivoted to the main bed section on a bracket 14 by a bolt or pin 15. Each lever is preferably extended beyond the said bracket as shown. There is one such lever or arm at each end of the bedstead and the lower ends of the said lovers are connected by means of a tie bar 16, so as to maintain the said levers in their proper swinging position on the main bed section and prevent the said lower ends of the said levers from spreading apart in the longitudinal direction of the bed under the strain of the mattress supporting fabric. I may if desired provide the extension bed section with any suitable operating handle, as for example the handle 17. Any ordinary means may be provided to slightly sep arate the inner sides of the levers 10 from the confronting sides of the end frames of the main bed section, as for example a washer 18 on the bolt or pin 15.

From this description, it will be seen that the extension bed section, including the levers 10 and tie bar 16, is incomplete of itself and only becomes a complete and operative structure when it is combined with the main bed section so that the said main bed section receives the strain of the mattress supporting means onthe fabric supporting bars and prevents the said strain from pulling the inner ends of the said bars toward each other.

When the parts are in the position shown by full lines in the drawings, the bed is extended ready for use. The front ends of the bars 7 are supported vertically by the legs 9 which are provided at their lower ends with any desired form of caster 11. The opposite ends of the said bars are supported vertically by merely resting on the main bed section. The bars 7 are held apart horizontally at their front ends by means of the rail 12 and tie brace 13, and at their rear ends by means of the main bed section and the levers that connect the said ends with the main bed section and transmit the strain from the bars '7 to the said main bed section. In the particular construction shown, the tie bar 16 holds the lower ends of the said levers against the strain of the bars 7 on the upper ends of the said levers. These arms or levers l0 constitute means for pivotally connecting the extension bed section with the main bed section and in connection with the tie bar 1", or equivalent means for maintaining the said arms in their proper swinging position on the main bed section and transferring a part of the longitudinal strain of the extension bed section to the main bed section, at the point of the pivotal connection of the arms 10 with the main bed section.

In order to close the bed, it is only necessary to raise the rear or inner edge of the extension bed section and the connected ends of the levers 10, so as to carry the bolt 19 by which the said levers are connected with the bars 7*, over, on the arc of a circle as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2, thereby changing the position of the said levers and extension bed section from the position shown by full lines into the position indicated by broken lines in, the said Fig. 2. This may be accomplished by taking hold of and moving either one of the handles 17, or other part of the extension bed section, or the levers, or even by pressing upon the lower ends of one of the levers 10 with one foot of the operator. A reverse movement of the levers and extension bed section will carry the parts back again into the full line position shown.

By my improvement the connecting levers or links carry over the extension bed section on the arc of a circle of short radius so that the movement is comparatively easy. The connecting bar 16 of the levers 10, partly counter balances the weight of the extension bed section, and tends to make the movement easy. A part of the strain of the mattress supporting means longitudinally of the extension bed section is transferred to and resisted by the main bed section. The parts are few and the construction simple, so that the bedstead is comparatively inexpensive, while at the same time the parts are very rigid and durable and they operate smoothly and easily.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an extension bedstead, the combination of a main bed section with an extension bed section comprising a pair of fabric supporting bars, a longitudinally extended supporting rail for the outer ends only of the said bars, leaving their inner ends unsupported and a mattress supporting fabric stretched on the said bars and tending to draw the unsupported inner ends of the said bars toward each other in the longitudinal direction of the bedstead, swinging arms, one each pivotally mounted on the said main bed section at its opposite ends, the said arms being connected by one end on one side of their pivotal connection with the main bed section to the inner ends of the fabric supporting bars of the said extension bed section, and a longitudinally extended tie connecting the said arms at their opposite ends on the other side of their pivotal connection with the said main bed section.

2. In an extension bedstead, the combination of a main bed section with an extension bed section having fabric supporting bars, a pair of swinging arms one each pivotally mounted by their middle portion on the said main bed section at its opposite ends, the said arms being connected by one of their ends to the inner ends of the said fabric supporting bars of the said extension bed section, and a longitudinally extended counter balancing tie connecting the said arms at their opposite ends.

HARRY B. ARNOLD.

lVitnesses M. R. CODAIRE, IRENE Townns. 

